[Kenner6959]

Hi Colt folks, new member & first post here. If anyone has some intel on my Colt Navy revolver case, I would appreciate it 100%.

I recently came into the possession of this revolver case from a chap who had his Colt Navy pistol stolen from a break & enter; the thieves left the case behind. Its a cold case >>> Anyways, I thought at first the case was the real deal but with all the surfing I have done in the past week on the net, I'm not quite convinced this case is from the Colt factory or a mock up from the period to resemble a genuine Colt case; a Dealer case?

If you want to jump in on this with your valuable experience - it would be appreciated!!! If you have a case similar to mine, send it along on this thread.

Cheers....

Ken

 

[Mustango]

I'm far from an expert on Colt cases but something about it doesn't seem quite right... maybe the escutcheon around the key hole, for one thing?

 

[Kenner6959]

I hear you Mustango, that does not look right. The box sure looks old, it appears to be relined. I look forward to future posts on this as well. Im also curious as to what it might be worth ?????????

 

[Oyeboten]

Why is the interior Purple in the Hinge close up, and Red in the other images?

 

[Oyeboten]

Can you add some views of the outside corners?


Looks like 'Old Work' to me...if possibly not the best grade for the times as far as the quality of how the Escutcheon was inlaid, and probably having been refinished along the way and or possibly the Escutcheon we see on it now, was a slightly larger replacement, installed ( a little crudely ) in the 1880s or 1920s or something.

Interior may be original, or if re-done, it was re-done without departing much from original in terms of details.

Are the Hinge Screws Steel or Brass?

And, are the Hinged Stamped or 'Drawn'?

 

[Oyeboten]

As far as I know, there is not likely any such thing as a 'Factory' Case of this era or even latter 1800s or early 1900s.

And or, as far as I have gathered, Colt merely bought or commissioned Boxes from various sources outside of the Colt Factory as such.

Various larger Retailers, similarly, had their own sources for Boxes, which if in the same general geographic region, may or may not have been the same sources Colt as such, had.

So, it's a different Ballgame from later times, or when considering the Pasteboard 'Boxes' and their variations and details and chronological successions and so on.

 

[dogface6]

Looks more like some of the cases sold by EMF and Dixie about 20-30 years ago.

You can still buy them today.

 

[Oyeboten]

Looks more like some of the cases sold by EMF and Dixie about 20-30 years ago.

You can still buy them today.

No, it is much better than those were.

And, it has all appearances of being genuinely old, even if it has been re-finished ( and possibly re-lined ).

I have a few mid 1800s Cases who's Escutcheons are inlaid very crooked, but they fit perfectly! Lol...

Generally Cases of this broader time period will have drawn ( Brass ) Hinges rather than Bent-Knuckle-Stamped Hinges.

And virtually no one would have ever used Brass Screws with Brass Hinges back then, unless it were in some Maritime application or maybe Powder Room Tooling or fixtures.

I can not tell if this Box has Brass or Steel Screws...so, maybe we can have some better images for that too??

 

[Oyeboten]

Post an image please, fairly close up, of the Shield inlay on the Top?

And the rear of the Box when closed, showing the Hinges?

 

[Kenner6959]

A wonderful dialogue we have going here as this has been a mystery to me I appreciate the feedback and let's have some fun with it. I'm away from my home right now at work so when I return this evening I will take multiple photographs of additional pieces of potential evidence including the screws and hinges etc. so that this can be better displayed here. Those first initial pictures work to get us started. Standby folks. I'll get those on tonight!

 

[Kenner6959]

Until I get home, I found these pics on my iPhone

Found these on my iPhone scrolling through my pictures of the hinge and some of the items that came with the box. I don't believe the flask is original and is probably a reproduction out of Italy. Not sure about the nipple key as well and the tin could be a major reproduction is well. The one key opening picture is mine. The other is one I took off the Internet somewhere just to compare for fun. I will return here later folks with additional photos of the case and shield on top. Ken

 

[Kenner6959]

More photos. Let me know if there is anything else or another angle you guys might like to see.

 

[Oyeboten]

Looks like a genuine, Cap & Ball 'period', American-made/style, Mahogany Box to me.

Brass Screws in the Hinges is an unusual detail, but, everything else is consistent with the time period for an American Pistol Box, other than the exterior finish - since it has been re-finished along the way, and the poor fitting of the Escutcheon.

Crude fit of the Escutcheon is puzzling...and no where near the 'good fitting' of the Box's Top inlay piece.

Top inlay piece looks like German Silver, which would be a usual enough recourse at the time, and this is where any monogram, initials, name, or brief presentation text, would have been engraved, were it to have had any.

Remnant of Paper glued on to the Pine Bottom is a correct detail.

Lining may well be original also.

Hinges are apparently of the 'Drawn' kind, and in this instance are Limit-Hinges also, which would keep the open Box Lid at 90 degrees ( and no more ).

Some period Box makers used these, others did not.

Small bevel along the hinge line seam of top and bottom, goes along with this type of Hinge.

So - Summary:

I would say this is an authentic, 'period' American made or American style Box, which has been re-finished along the way, but which is otherwise original ( if a little puzzling for it's Brass Screws - instead of Steel Screws - in the Hinges, and for its crudely fitted Escutcheon ).

 

[Kenner6959]

Thank you Oye for the very detailed response and expository on my colt case. It is a bit of a mistrry as to why it has some of the details that it does. Also, very interesting about the paper on the bottom. I wasn't sure how that occurred. If anyone has any pictures of a similar cold case with similarities, please respond with pictures. I'm sure your description here Oye will be a great benefit to others in the future who have similar cases and are wondering about the validity of their box. thank you for taking the time to script that. Very helpful indeed! Ken

 

[Kenner6959]

I used my Iphone 4 to take these photos. Some of the shots I used my flashlight from my phone to illuminate the area. I guess, with the bright light, that the interior looks purple - but with the bright light off... its red.

 

[Oyeboten]

Hi Kenner6959,


I am not up on values for the 'period' Cases...so, I just do not have any sense of where things are at on those.

Years ago when I was tryting to follow them, they were all over the board so-to-speak...ranging from a couple hundred to well over a thousand, without much for justification for either extreme.

If you are thinking of selling it, probably an Auction would be the best method...but ideally an Auciton which could have a few weeks to run, since the Market for period Boxes is likely fairly small, if serious and determined - so you would want the Auction to run long enough for those interested to have a chance to find it there.

Demand would most likely be highest among those who have a Factory or period Engraved Pistol, where they would like to have it in a period Case with period accessories, or where someone has an examople in unusually high condition, so, these would then be the people who would have a reason to pay the most.

 

[Kenner6959]

Thanks Oye. Much appreciated. We will see.... Great dialogue and feedback!